FIRST THURSDAY OR LAST THURSDAY

TWO MONTHLY NEIGHBORHOOD EVENTS IN PORTLAND

Contributing Author: Anonymous McGee

Two monthly occurrences that may be very enticing to tokers visiting Portland are Portland’s First Thursday and Last Thursday neighborhood events. Although both free events feature local art, music, and food, the two events, the neighborhoods they take place in, and the people who attend are as different as the calendar month is long. This brief tutorial was designed to help every type of stoner find his or her ideal in-the-streets festival. For those incognito stoners driving electric cars and drinking Whole Foods kombucha, First Thursday might be appealing. For stoners wanting to don body paint and dance to a bluegrass band—Last Thursday might be a better choice. Either way, visitors to Portland should go to one or the other, or both, but be warned of the MJ culture differences.

FIRST THURSDAY – link

First Thursday takes place in Portland’s swank Pearl District on every first Thursday of the month. It’s a time when all of the art galleries, bars, restaurants and shops open their doors to anyone wanting to wander in. The Pearl District is loved my some and detested by others as it is a sign of Portland’s increasing gentrification patterns. What was an industrial wasteland just outside downtown in the 1990’s is now a posh, modern neighborhood of expensive shops, classy condos, and the slow-as-hell streetcar (you’d be better off walking into the Pearl from downtown). However, with the affluence of the Pearl come some stellar fine art galleries and a truly rewarding experience for the fine art lover. This reviewer recommends visiting:

The Elizabeth Leech Gallery, which focuses on local and international work, and usually has a fabulous photography exhibit.

The Attic Gallery, a bright, fun, large storeroom of local art which exhibits this reviewer’s favorite local artist, Nate Praska, who has an amazing ability to capture Portland’s rainy days. The Attic Gallery is located on the downtown side of Burnside St. (so not directly in the Pearl). The gallery has good prices and excellent staff.

The Blackfish Gallery, which focuses on traditional and also more experimental work.

Although some attend First Thursday to wine and dine and drop a lot of money, many visitors (including this reviewer) can have a fine time just doing the public art walk, going from open gallery to open gallery, nibbling on complementary bread and cheese, and rubbing elbows with some of Portland’s best and most inventive artists. HOWEVER, this is probably not the event to start toking on the street (unless you are very discreet) so I’d recommend doing the toking first and the gallery walk after. Instead of dropping a bunch of money on a meal (unless you want to) eat before or after First Thursday in Downtown, Old Town, or Southeast Portland where the prices are better. Oh, and did I mention not to bother with the streetcar?

LAST THURSDAY – link

Last Thursday takes place far across the city from the Pearl.  Although Last Thursday’s neighborhood, Alberta street, was also an area affected by gentrification, the vibe of that Northeast Portland neighborhood is very different from The Pearl, and the festival that takes place every last Thursday of the month is more of a hippie street fair that goes on for blocks and blocks down Alberta Street. True, there are galleries and hipster restaurants, but the heart of Last Thursday are the street vendors and performers who come all over town to embrace art, music, food, and free love.

This event is a stoner-friendly haven, the people who attend are younger, more likely to be dressed in tie-dye, and are more likely to be selling “green” brownies on the street. In fact, here is where you will find the pro-herb politics, as well as more liberal politics in general. On one block of Alberta you may encounter a troupe of clowns, a Native American drumming circle, a soloist playing a trumpet, a wire fence covered in local art, a masseuse and massage chair, a “free poems” stand, and food carts. The whole street is alive with the hustle and bustle of people young and old. Food and drink prices are generally cheaper than in the Pearl, and if you need a cool and affordable place to sleep for the night, check out The Kennedy School. Also, if you toke up near the festival, you probably won’t get a second glance from anyone except other people wanting to get high.

Another good reason to support Last Thursday is that vendors do not need to pay or register for space. Anyone (including you!) can grab a table and some things to sell and try your luck. And with a flood of cool, open-minded people moving down Alberta Street on Last Thursday, your chances of selling that macramé plant stand or tray of vegan cookies is probably good. Better than at First Thursday, at least.